Does Anderson Silva Have Anything Left In The Tank?

Anderson Silva is considered to be arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. Some would argue that spot belongs to Fedor Emelianenko but that’s neither here nor there. Silva has proven himself to be a true warrior in the cage and has done so by dispatching many foes with the same ease an average person would when swatting a fly. Anderson Silva in his heyday was certainly special. But against these young and hungry up and comers one has to wonder how much he’s got left in the tank.

If it were me, I’d be stacking my doe and infesting my money to watch it grow. For a professional fighter like Silva however, hanging up the gloves isn’t the simplest of decisions. Not only is he returning to the cage to fight at a high level, he’s doing so against one of the most dangerous fighters in the division. Despite his recent loss, Derek Brunson is a goddamn handful. He’s explosive, has devastating power and the wrestling to back it up. With the GOAT standing opposite him this Saturday night you expect the younger middleweight to fight to the best of his abilities.

So what should we be looking out for in this match?

1. Silva’s Timing

They say the last thing to go is a fighter’s power. The thing about Anderson Silva is that he’s never really packed a punch. He’s locked out fighters, sure, but never with one devastating shot. Silva’s timing has always been his greatest weapon. With age, timing diminishes and facing an explosive fighter like Brunson will surely test Silva’s ability to rattle off the fluid combinations he’s known for.

2. Brunson’s Strategy

Derek Brunson looked sloppy in his last fight. Like really damn wild and reckless. He had success taking fighters out with that explosive wild style of his, but this isn’t going to work incredibly well against Silva. Rushing forward with punches, head past his knees is tailor made for Anderson Silva. Brunson should let Silva move forward, throw feints to freeze him, then explode forward to catch Anderson by surprise. Let’s see if Brunson changes his approach this time around.

This fight is experience versus potential. Will Silva’s greater experience in the big show prove he still has the ability to tame a wild upstart like Brunson? Or will it be out with the old and on with the new with a Brunson victory?

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.

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